Historic Hood River
The Barrett Twins
4-22-2013
Notes
Today’s Monday mystery is to unravel the complicated genealogy of the Barrett twins. I’ll give you some of the basics: Edward Wesley Howell and Edwin Barrett Howell were born November 5 and 6th, 1892 to Julia Barrett Howell and Oliver Howell at Hood River. This photo was taken April 28, 1893.
I’ll warn you their story is touched by tragedy and numerous genealogical twists and turns, starting with how the E.W. and E.B. Howell became known around Hood River as the Barrett twins. But there are some very interesting people in their lives, so start digging.
l.e.
If one was born November 5 and one was born November 6, I hope that all took place around midnight.
charlott
Their mother, Julia Barrett Howell died when they were but a few weeks old, and they were raised by their grandparents, Dr. Perry Gordon Barrett.
Dr. Barrett died while doing chores and eventually Mrs. Barrett took the two boys back east.
charlott
Their parents after their marriage had gone to Hondurous where she got what was called Hondorous fever, which no doubt was milaria. She did get somewhat stronger after returning to Hood River, but was never well. It was no doubt the combination of this and having twins that caused her death at 23 years of age.
l.e.
Julia died twelve days later, November 18. One source says she had left legal documentation stating if she died in childbirth her parents would adopt the twins and the father agreed.
Tough decisions to have to make. Sounds like the father left and was never heard from again.
The boys would have been seven or eight years old when their grandpa, Dr. Barrett, passed away.
I think there is more to the story of their lives.
Jeffrey Bryant
The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., November 10, 1892, page 3
"Born"
To Mr. and Mrs. O. Howells, twins, both boys. The little fellows are lucky, each having a birthday of his own, one being born before midnight Sunday, the other after.
l.e.
I was just looking at some wild flowers of the area and came across Barret’s penstemon which grows here in the gorge. It is named for Almeta Hodge Barrett, the boy’s grandmother, who discovered the flower.
http://science.halleyhosting.com/nature/gorge/5petal/figwort/penst/barrettp.htm
Lesa
Dr. Perry G. Barrett is enumerated in the 1890 Union Veterans & Widows of the Civil War Census in Hood River, Wasco Co.,Oregon.
He 1st enlisted as an assistant surgeon with 3rd Battalion 5th Reg. Ohio Cavalry in June of 1862. He was at the Siege of Corinth, MIssissippi. He was with them for one year then shifted to the 7th Regiment Ohio Cavalry continuing as an assistant surgeon. This regiment went after Morgans Raiders and captured most of this famous Southern Generals command at the Battle of Buffington Island.
He shifted once again in 1864, as a full surgeon now, to the 31st Regiment U.S. Colored Troops, remaining with them until November of 1865, after the war was over.
Lesa
1880 census for Hood River has Dr. Perry G.Barrett age 48 b.1832 Ohio
his wife Almeta Hodge-Barret age 47 b.Ohio, daughter Julia Hodge Barrett age 10 b.Pennsylvania. Father in-law, Velorus Hodge 80 b.N.Y., mother in-law, Emiline Allen-Hodge 73 b.N.Y. also in his household.
Velorus Hodge’s father, Benjamin Hodge, was a Connecticut Privateer in the Revolutionary War. {According to Revolutionary War Pension records.}
Lesa
Oliver Oren Howell m2.1895 Isabelle "Ella" Mary Robertson. She was b.Apr 1872 in Oregon. Children:
1.Harold F. Howell b. Washington in 1905
2.Oliver Franklin Howell b.May 23,1915, in South Bend, Pacific Co.,Wa.
d.infant under age 5 {not found in 1920 census}
1900 Census Oliver & Ella Howell are in Summerville, Union Co., Oregon, which is North of LaGrande, he is a carpenter.
1915 They are in South Bend, Pacific Co.,Washington with son, Harold F. Howell, age 10. Oliver is a Rail Road messenger.
1920 Census Coos County, Oregon Oliver Howell, along with wife, and son Harold, who is now 15.
1930 Kent, Sherman Co., Oregon Harold Howell is 25, his wife Nona age 20. Don’t know what happened to his mother? His father has died.
Oliver Oren Howell d.Dec 20 or 26, 1926 in Wallowa Co.,Or and is buried in the Lostine Cemetery there.
1940 Census Harold & wife, Nona Howell lived in West Dalles, Wasco Co., Or., with their three children: Eunice, Eldon, & Kenneth Howell. Harold worked at a Flour Mill as a laborer.
I wonder if Harold ever knew about his twin brothers?
Jim Jones
Lesa, you’re closer than almost anyone to what became of Oliver. Most of the family don’t know where Oliver went after Julia died. I got really interested in finding Oliver so I’ve done a lot of research as best I could. Oliver married Mary Isabel "Isabel" Koontz (daughter of James and Frances S. Koontz, b. 7 Apr 1872) on 12 May 1895 in Bandon, Oregon. I don’t think her name was Robertson; she reports Oliver as her first marriage (though he reports she was his first and that wasn’t true). Isabel may never have known about Julia Hodge Barrett. In 1900 they are in Summerville but her name is Isabel. In 1910 they are in Bandon, Coos County, Oregon (Isabel was from Coquille, Coos County) with son Harold F., born 1905 in Washington State (I believe he was born in Anatone, Asotin County, Washington; see below). I don’t find them in South Bend, WA in 1915; do you have a reference? There is a newspaper reference in Bandon from 1913 that says Oliver O. Howell’s home was "visited by the stork, who left a pair of twin daughters" but they are not in the 1920 census so they were adopted out or died before 1920. I didn’t think they had left Coos County so I would love that South Bend referemce. Harold Howell is actually enumerated twice in 1920, the second time in Coquille, in the Coos County Jail, which is where he really was early in 1920. Harold was tried three times for the murder of Lillian Leuthold of Bandon in 1919 and was finally acquitted in May of 1920. It was a celebrated trial. I have a lot of clippings on my ancestry entries for Harold, Oliver, and Isabel. Oliver lost his left hand in March of 1919 in a sawmill accident and could no longer work as a carpenter or as a musician (he used to play to earn money). Oliver and Isabel were practically bankrupted by the cost of the three trials. Oliver died 26 Dec 1926 in Lostine and Isabel died in Bandon 1 Sep 1930. The Harold Howell who is married to Nona in 1930 and 1940 is not Oliver’s son. That one is Harold R. Howell and his parents are born in the wrong places; Oliver and Isabel were both born in Oregon. I think Harold Howell joined the Merchant Marine and is in the 1930 Merchant Marine Census on board the "Marion Otis Chandler" at Los Angeles Harbor. He was on various ships around the world into WW II, and I can’t find him after that. The reason I think this Harold is the right one is because one of this Harold Howell’s passenger arrival records (1943) shows him as born in Anatone, Washington in 1905. That is where Oliver’s sister Dora Mitchell lived, according to probate records for Oliver’s mother, Margaret McDaniel Howell, in 1901. Anatone is a really tiny place; that can’t be a coincidence. I cannot find what happened to Harold; I do not think he ever married or had children.
Jim Jones
Dr. Perry Gordon Barrett had a first wife, Helen O (Nellie) Fisk, from Saybrook, Ashtabula County, Ohio, near Kingsville where Dr. Barrett was born to Amos Barrett (1803 "“ 1886) and his wife Annis Maria Brown (1809 "“ 1882). Dr. Barrett bought land in Chelsea, Butler County, Kansas Territory in 1855, where he practiced medicice. He married Nellie back home in Ashtabula County on 21 Aug 1856 and she returned with him to Chelsea. Nellie was alive at the census on 3 Aug 1860, living with Perry and her mother Sarah Fisk; the Hodge family genealogy says Nellie died in 1860 so one would guess she died in Kansas and is buried in or near Chelsea. Dr. Barrett was in the Civil War until the end. He was promoted to full surgeon, 31st US Colored Troops Infantry, on 12 Sep 1864 and mustered out 7 Nov 1865 at Brownsville, Texas. He married Almeda Zabia Hodge in Buffalo, New York on 20 Jun 1866. Almeda was the daughter of Velorus Hodge (1800 "“ 1892) and Emeline Allen (1807 "“ 1898), both of whom, by the way, moved to Oregon to keep Almeda and Perry company and who died there at advanced ages. Emeline’s obituary says she was born in Litchfield, CT, but every census (1850 to 1880) shows her born in New York. Velorus had been married in 1825 in Buffalo to Amanda M. Lucas, who died in 1827 not long after giving birth to their son, Lucius Churchill Hodge (1826 "“ 1840). He married Emeline Allen in Buffalo on 21 Sep 1828. They had eight children at least; five sons and three daughters, of which Almeda was second child, first daughter. All but three of the children died very young (a girl and boy as infants, a daughter at 6, a son at 10, and a son at 17). Velorus was a son of Revolutionary War soldier Benjamin Hodge (1753 "“ 1837) and his wife Sarah Churchill (1757 "“ 1835). Velorus’ older brother, Col. Lorin Hodge (1789 "“ 1870), was my great-great-great grandfather.
l.e.
Very interesting Jim!
Almeda Hodge
I am working on genealogy and going through all of the websites for the Hodge relatives. I am married to Edward Dwight Hodge III, son of Edward Dwight Hodge, Jr., who was the son of Edward Dwight Hodge, who was the son of Frederick Augustus Hodge, who was the son of Velorus Hodge. It is quite a coincidence that my name is Almeda and that Velorus’ daughter was named Almeda Zabia.
We live in San Antonio, Texas, and our son is named Edward Dwight Hodge IV. He is getting married in February and we have just presented the silver spoons to his fiancée that once belonged to Velorus and Emeline Allen Hodge and are engraved w/ EAHodge.
I am interested in finding out where Almeda Zabia Hodge got her name.
My family is from Texas, before Texas was a state……..I got my name from my mother and from her grandmother. Would enjoy any additional information.
Tedde McMillen
I am a volunteer tour guide at Hoyt Arboretum in Portland, Oregon. I would like to learn more about Almeda Hodge Barrett who discovered the penestemon bearing her name. Appreciate any further information available. Thanks, Tedde
Georga Foster
Judge Ed Howell was a friend of my family, growing up in John Day , Oregon. They had twin girls Mary and Margaret and a adopted daughter Patrica. This was in the 1950’s. Judge Howell and his wife Jane are buried in the Catholic Cemetery in The Dalles.